WILD GINGER. 154 
lyx very hairy or woolly, consisting of three broad, 
concave leafets, which are mostly of a brownish 
or dull purple on the inside at top and bottom, 
and terminated by a long, spreading, inflected 
point, with reflexed sides. The colour varies 
greatly according to the amount of light which 
the plant enjoys, being sometimes nearly green. 
Stamens twelve, inserted on the germ at a dis- 
tance from the calyx, the alternate ones longer. 
Anthers growing to the filaments below their ex- 
tremity. Near the divisions of the calyx are 
three short, curved, filamentary substances, which 
may perhaps be called nectaries. Germ inferior, 
somewhat hexagonal, marked at top inside with a 
dark red line; style conical, striate, parted at top— 
into six recurved, radiating stigmas. 
The root of the Asarum has an agreeable aro- 
matic taste, which is intermediate between that of 
ginger and the aristolochia serpentaria. This 
quality has given it the names of Wild ginger and 
Snake root in different sections of the country. 
The name Colt’s foot is also applied to it. 
The chemical trials, to which I have subjected 
the root, bring to view the following substances :— 
4. A light coloured, pungent, volatile oil, possess- 
ing the characteristic taste and smell of the plant 
in a high degree. 2. A resin, which is of a red- 
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